Paris Peace Conf. 184/137: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received March 20—noon].
1188. In reply to urgent request to Legations Berne, Hague and Copenhagen for frequent cable reports on conditions in Germany, Austria and Hungary, Legation at Berne replies that it has no means at its disposal for collection such information, as its staff has been so reduced to meet the requirements of the Mission to Negotiate Peace. The Legation suggests that, inasmuch as the American Peace Mission has sent special missions of investigation to different portions of Central Europe comprising, in several instances, former members of the Legation staff who are in constant telegraphic communication with Paris, the information desired by the Department be supplied by some person attached to the Mission at Paris, who will make it his business to keep the Department informed. The Department has no current information regarding conditions and developments in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Czecho-Slovakia, or Yugo-Slavia, and because of the depletion of the staffs of the Legations adjacent to Central Europe for the use of the Mission, I am unable to call upon those Legations to supply desired reports regarding Central European conditions. May not arrangements be made whereby some one on the Mission staff can be assigned to furnish the Department with comprehensive cable summary and mail copies of important telegraphic and mail reports received by the Mission from its representatives in Central Europe and Russia? Would greatly appreciate an early reply.